Miss Kelly said 120 guests had been invited to the wedding at the hotel.

She told BBC's Good Morning Ulster: "I've had it planned since January to have my wedding here and I've come down this morning to find out that I'm not getting my wedding here.

"Last week I was told that the hotel could be closing soon, but they didn't know when and not to worry, because the wedding was still going ahead," she said.

"Am I going to get a wedding, am I not?

"A man rang and offered the Spa Golf Club in Ballynahinch which we had to get our own transport to go to which was £1,200 and I can't afford to pay £1,200 plus move everything that I had organised - the band, the DJ and the cake and everything that was due to arrive here on Friday.

"Family from England, from Belfast - they all had rooms booked here."

Some of the hotel staff are members of the Unite union. It has called for urgent action to be taken to try and save the hotel from permanent closure.

Davy Edmont, Unite Regional Officer, said: “This is a brutal blow for a small, rural community already suffering from the ongoing closure of Exploris aquarium.

“Taking the two closures together over 50 jobs have been lost in this locality in the past year. In response, Unite is calling for a meeting with Bill Wolsey, the owner, to discuss what plans, if any, he has for the long term of this well-known establishment.”

Leonie Kelly was due to get married at the Portaferry Hotel on the shore of Strangford Lough this Friday (Image: BBC)

A spokeswoman for property landlord, Beannchor, confirmed the closure.

She added: “Due to circumstances beyond our control, The Portaferry Hotel has regrettably been forced to close until further notice. We were notified late on Sunday 18 October that the tenants, Mr and Mrs McAleese, intended to leave the business with immediate effect.

“Mr and Mrs McAleese have full operational responsibility for the running of the business, to include responsibility for guests and employees.

“The Beannchor Group holds a reversionary interest in the Portaferry Hotel but has no operational responsibility for the running of the business.”

Portaferry resident and Unite community activist, Greg Sachno, added: “Portaferry Hotel is a mainstay for our local tourism economy and its loss will be a devastating blow from which we will struggle to recover. I am calling on all community representatives, local politicians and residence to rally in support of the staff at the hotel.

“Hotel staff members have lost their jobs, effectively without statutory notice, and have for all intents and purposes been locked out. The closure also will impact local suppliers and businesses provide goods and services to the hotel.”

“My understanding is that customers having long-term bookings, including for one local wedding, have been told that it will now have to find an alternative venue. Unite is calling a show of solidarity with everybody affected and will be organising a public demonstration outside the Portaferry Hotel this Thursday at 12pm.

“I am calling for all stakeholders to draw up a plan including a community-based strategy to save the hotel and get the staff back to work as soon as possible.”